Martindale, George Gowthorp (1856-1931)

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1915
Primitive Methodist Magazine 1915

Early years

George was born in 1856 at Yapham, Yorkshire to parents George Martindale and Hannah Gowthorpe. George, senior, was a tailor. Hannah died in the spring of 1861 and George married Mary Wray in 1862. His elder brother, Thomas, also became a PM Minister, but died after eight years of travelling.

George was baptised on 2 November 1856 at Yapham cum Meltonby, Yorkshire.

As a young man, George moved to Hull to take up a position as a railway clerk in the city from January 1873. He attached himself to the Bourne Church, Anlaby Road, Hull. George soon became a local preacher and in 1879, on recommendation from the Hull Fifth circuit, he entered the Sunderland Institute to prepare for ministry.

Ministry

His obituary records that George will not be remembered as a builder of chapels, but will be held in lasting remembrance as a man who never shirked a difficult financial situation.

For nine years, George acted as secretary to the C.E. Holiday Tours Committee and arranged eight English and two Swiss tours. The last of these, consisting of a party of eighty, George conducted himself.

In 1891, George was requested by the Connexional Missions Committee to go as a missionary to West Africa, but was precluded from doing so following medical advice.

George served as Railway Arrangements Secretary for the Centenary Celebrations on Mow Cop. Many additional trains were arranged to allow the thousands of visitors to reach Mow Cop.

George was Secretary of Conference in 1916.

After superannuation, George effectively discharged the duty of Connexional Treasurer for five years.

Family

George married Mary Ann Tasker (1855-1936) of Gainsborough. Census returns identify two children.

  • Herbert Tasker (1885-1958) – a schoolteacher and local preacher
  • Ella Gowthorp (1891-1965) – a music teacher; married George A Lofthouse in 1932

George died on 11 August 1931 at Sheffield, Yorkshire.

Circuits

  • Sunderland
  • 1880 Sheffield I
  • 1882 Clay Cross
  • 1883 Winster
  • 1884 Sleaford
  • 1886 Wirksworth
  • 1887 Rotherham
  • 1891 Scarborough
  • 1894 Melton Mowbray
  • 1897 Nottingham III
  • 1901 Hucknall
  • 1904 Derby
  • 1907 New Mills
  • 1910 Rotherham
  • 1916 Sheffield I
  • 1920 Shipley
  • 1923 Sheffield (Sup)

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1915/630; 1932/61

PM Minutes 1932/322

W Leary, Directory of Primitive Methodist Ministers and their Circuits, 1990

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

 

Note: Also see this collection of newspaper references

Comments about this page

  • Wendy,

    Thank you for your correction; I have amended the text above and added a baptism date for George.

    By Geoff Dickinson (08/11/2017)
  • Hello, 

    George is my ggg uncle and I would like to correct who his mother was. She was Hannah Gowthorp, not Mary (Wray).

    Thank you

    Wendy

    By Wendy (07/11/2017)

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